Jetted FoxCareers · Kids, teaching & libraries
Teaching assistants
Help teachers in classrooms by working with students one-on-one or in small groups. No college degree needed.
Start now · no experience needed
Starting pay ranges from about $10.54/hr in Oklahoma to $20.80/hr in Washington.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $10.31–10.84/hr | $11.57/hr |
| Alaska | $13.19–14.13/hr | $17.88/hr |
| Arizona | $14.88–16.20/hr | $17.26/hr |
| Arkansas | $11.38–12.38/hr | $13.84/hr |
| California | $17.90–19.03/hr | $22.35/hr |
| Colorado | $14.81/hr | $17.19/hr |
| Connecticut | $16.35–16.53/hr | $18.32/hr |
| Delaware | $15–16.78/hr | $18.19/hr |
| Florida | $13.70–14.53/hr | $16.55/hr |
| Georgia | $10.19–11.12/hr | $13.83/hr |
| Hawaii | $14.49–17.23/hr | $17.70/hr |
| Idaho | $11.53–14.16/hr | $17.10/hr |
| Illinois | $15–15.08/hr | $17.78/hr |
| Indiana | $11.52–14.03/hr | $16.01/hr |
| Iowa | $10.77–13.49/hr | $14.67/hr |
| Kansas | $10.48–11.50/hr | $14.18/hr |
| Kentucky | $11.53–13.37/hr | $14.50/hr |
| Louisiana | $9.94–10.61/hr | $13.17/hr |
| Maine | $17.41–18.57/hr | $22.48/hr |
| Maryland | $15–16.60/hr | $17.82/hr |
| Massachusetts | $15–15.80/hr | $18.93/hr |
| Michigan | $13.25–14.44/hr | $16.88/hr |
| Minnesota | $15.11–17.72/hr | $19.28/hr |
| Mississippi | $9.05–10.60/hr | $12.42/hr |
| Missouri | $13.75–13.98/hr | $17.45/hr |
| Montana | $11.51–14.13/hr | $16.71/hr |
| Nebraska | $13.50/hr | $16.90/hr |
| Nevada | $13.40–14.81/hr | $15.34/hr |
| New Hampshire | $13.90–17.35/hr | $18.48/hr |
| New Jersey | $15.49–16.37/hr | $17.93/hr |
| New Mexico | $13–13.94/hr | $17.26/hr |
| New York | $15.50–17.15/hr | $18.38/hr |
| North Carolina | $12.07–13.51/hr | $14.32/hr |
| North Dakota | $14–17.30/hr | $18.38/hr |
| Ohio | $12.89–14.06/hr | $17.27/hr |
| Oklahoma | $8.62–10.54/hr | $13.42/hr |
| Oregon | $14.57–17.24/hr | $19.16/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $11.24–13.99/hr | $16.70/hr |
| Rhode Island | $15/hr | $17.89/hr |
| South Carolina | $10.53–11.11/hr | $13.39/hr |
| South Dakota | $11.92–12.75/hr | $13.57/hr |
| Tennessee | $10.58–11.40/hr | $14.04/hr |
| Texas | $10.81–11.64/hr | $14.35/hr |
| Utah | $13.33–15.51/hr | $17.81/hr |
| Vermont | $14.01–17.33/hr | $21.06/hr |
| Virginia | $13.57–15.67/hr | $18.52/hr |
| Washington | $18.21–20.80/hr | $23.62/hr |
| Washington, DC | $18.45–19.27/hr | $22.56/hr |
| West Virginia | $13.17–13.90/hr | $14.33/hr |
| Wisconsin | $13.97–17/hr | $18.17/hr |
| Wyoming | $13.38–14.90/hr | $17.36/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Also: Background check
Once you're hired
State paraprofessional or educational aide permit: required in some states. It lets you work as a paraprofessional in public schools. Rules differ by state; check your state's licensing board.
Other way in: Two years of college.
A normal day
You work in a classroom alongside a teacher, taking small groups for reading or math and helping students who fall behind. You supervise lunch, recess and buses, and often work one-on-one with a student who needs extra support. Days follow the school bell and calendar.
The good parts
School-day hours with summers and holidays off. Districts hire every year, with openings everywhere. Some districts pay for aides to finish a teaching degree.
The hard parts
Pay is low and often hourly with no summer pay. Some days are emotionally hard: aides are often the ones who stay with a student through a tough moment. Many districts require two years of college or the ParaPro test.
Where it leads
teaching assistants move to special education aide, lead aide or teacher after a degree.
Quick answers
Do teaching assistants need a college degree?
No. You can start now: no experience needed.
How long is the training for teaching assistants?
A few weeks of paid training at work.
How much do teaching assistants make?
About $13.05–14.93 an hour to start and $17.68 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
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Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.